


Adventures in snooping

by Gabster357



Series: Merintosh Evolution [5]
Category: Brave (2012), Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Elinor finds out, Elinor snoops, Elinor’s heart is put at ease, F/M, Romantic night between Mac and Merida, Sleepy Cuddles, confessions are made, more kissing, tender moment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:13:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28113678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gabster357/pseuds/Gabster357
Summary: Lady Elinor was concerned. Scratch that, she was on the verge of going nuts with anxiety. When going to confront Merida, she stumbles upon a tender moment between her daughter and the young Lord Macintosh.
Relationships: Lord Macintosh/Merida (Once Upon a Time), Young Macintosh/Merida (Disney)
Series: Merintosh Evolution [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2034640
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	Adventures in snooping

Lady Elinor was concerned.

Scratch that, she was on the verge of going nuts with anxiety. 

She had been reluctant to accept the young Macintosh into the castle as her daughter’s adviser. The man exiled her and tried to execute her sons for Goodness sakes and now he was her beloved daughter’s Chief adviser!

What really freaked out the former Queen was the strange look in his eyes whenever he looked at Merida, thinking he was going unnoticed. It was intense to say the least and it worried her to no end. 

What if he hadn’t changed?

What if he just wanted her daughter’s crown?

Two nights gets ago at the banquet hall was just a another example. Elinor was surprised when Merida suddenly left the hall, closely followed by Macintosh, but not nearly as much as when he opened Merida’s door to let her in. Clearly something had happened that the pair didn’t want her to know about. The way the young Lord later talked to those girls - full of rage - showed that the sinister side of him that tried to take the crown was still there hidden, even if this time it reared it’s ugly head in defence of Merida. She had kept an eye on them since then, but luckily between Merida’s council meetings and the bootcamp Macintosh had committed himself to teaching, they had not had a moment alone. 

Now, Elinor found herself mumbling in her chambers while finishing another tapestry, something she would rarely do unless something bothered her. Deciding she was better off confronting the problem head on than wallowing in her own thoughts, she had a grand idea. 

She was going to see Merida. 

After briskly walking to Merida’s chamber, she was about to go in, when something stopped her. The door was open just enough to pop her head through to check on her daughter without arousing her attention. Imagine her surprise when she finds Lord Macintosh again in her chamber, placing down a tray of food onto the desk next to Merida who had fallen asleep, her head resting on the papers for tomorrow. 

She watched as he slowly approached her sleeping daughter and was about to intervene when she noticed the blankets he was holding. Ever so gently, as not to rouse her, he placed each garment on her back in turn. 

One.  
Two. She shifted a bit so he paused before the next.  
Three.  
Four. 

She watched him fret. He kept looking between her and his own cloak. He looked conflicted but removed it and spread it over her back anyway. Merida shifted again, this time smiling in her sleep. 

He smiled at her sleeping face, half hidden by her unruly hair, and that same look in his eyes she had been worried about resurfaced. She had been wrong, she could see that now as he readjusted his cloak and ran his fingers casually through her hair. Those intense feeling were not about the crown at all. 

He loved her.

He was in love with her. 

She had to admit, he hid it well. On the other hand, perhaps her own inability to let go of his past mistakes had blinded her to his honest intent.

He swept away the stray locks from her face and found himself stroking her hair as he watched her. She smiled again, dreaming something sweet. He bent down and kissed her cheek with such a lack of apprehension or doubt that Elinor reckoned it wasn’t the first time he had done such a thing.

He readjusted the blankets one last time and then made a move towards the door. 

Elinor panicked, trying to find a hiding spot behind a hallway table. Luckily, the sound of her daughters voice bought her time. 

“Mac?”

She heard his footsteps stop suddenly before cautiously going back towards her desk. She peaked again through the slit. 

“I’m sorry my Queen. I didn’t mean to wake ye.”

She giggled, still half asleep, “I’m really warm. Is this yer doing?”

“I heard from Dingwall it’s going to be cold tonight and I...I apologise Merida. I haven’t been doing this right at all and I’m sorry.” He hung his head in shame. 

“It smells like ye.” She smiled as she dug her nose deeper into the fabric, disregarding completely, refusing to dignify what he said, “So how do I look? Probably not as pretty as ye, eh?” She gave him one of her signature cheeky grins and struck a pose, earning a laugh from him. 

“Ye look beautiful my Queen,” He said with a sincerity that caught both women off-guard, “Ye always do.”

There was a heavy silence between them before he hesitantly walked towards. She watched as her daughter’s cheeks redden and her eyes are fixated on him in anticipation. He effortlessly scooped her up in his arms, his cloak and the four other coverings falling to the ground. She clutched onto him as he carried her to her bed and gently laid her down. As he peeled himself from her, she sat up and stole a kiss which he returned with equal passion. 

Elinor started to panic, on the brink of knocking on the door before this went any further, but then Macintosh did the unexpected. 

They both parted to draw breath, but instead of continuing he tucked her in and covered her with his cloak. He lovingly pressed a kiss to her forehead. Before she had a chance to say anything, he said, “I’ll come back for the cloak tomorrow. Goodnight Merida, sleep well and have sweet dreams, las.” He kissed her once more and was about to turn to leave when Merida grabbed him. 

“Please don’t go Mac. Stay the night. We don’t have to do anything, just sleep beside me, please.” 

“I can’t, my Queen,” He told her, “I don’t trust myself to not cross yet another line.” He cupped her cheek and looked at her as if she was the greatest treasure he’d ever known, “God, you are beautiful. You are everything to me, Mer. You have no idea how much I want to stay the night, just to be by your side for a little longer, but I respect ye too much to put ye in a position where tongues are bound to wag.”

Tears were flowing down Merida’s face now, “I don’t want ye to go. Everything seems better and brighter when you’re next to me.”

“Ye deserve a happily ever after, Mer. A romance, not a night of passion.”

“A romance? What do ye think this has all been? We pour our hearts out almost every night of the week, you’ve taught me how to dance, and ye defended me from those bullies. Every time I look at ye it’s like my heart is singing, and I don’t want this song to end, ever. So stay beside me.”

He seemed to hesitate, but then eventually agreed. Elinor watched the lord slipped into bed and wrap his arms around her from behind as her daughter leaned back into him. It only took them a moment before they found a comfortable position. Macintosh kissed her shoulder before hugging her more tightly drawing her closer to him. Merida smiled as she unravelled in his arms and sank into a deep sleep, as did he soon after. 

The next morning, Elinor wakes early to check on them and somehow they have managed to intertwine themselves even more tightly, until you couldn’t be sure where Merida ended and Macintosh began. They are fully clothed and she knows that Macintosh did not cross the line he had been tempted to cross last night. 

The Queen mother couldn’t help but smile at what transpired. Her little girl had fallen in love, and despite her reservations the young lord proved himself to be devoted to her and surprisingly rather gentle. His devotion shouldn’t have surprised her as it did. Since her coronation, Macintosh has been her greatest ally and from the way she talked of him, her greatest friend. Walking back to her own room, she knew the future was bright.


End file.
